This was my first visit to Paris, but definitely not my last! I went with a few friends & decided to book the "Highlights of Paris" tour with Stephen at Paris Foot Walks for our first full day there (by recommendation of a friend) before tackling the other "must see" places of interest on our itinerary on our own. Our English speaking guide, Stephen, was knowledgeable & helped us get our orientation within the city during the tour so that we could more easily explore on our own later (by foot or metro). He even taught a few basic French phrases (helpful since I only studied Spanish). This 3-hour walk across town started in the morning & took us from the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs d'Elysees, to Les Invalides (military museum & Napolean's Tomb), Place de La Concorde, & the Tuileries Gardens. The Highlights tour ends outside the Louvre museum, which you can then explore on your own (which we did after lunch & a brief rest in the Tuileries Gardens). Per Stephen's recommendation, we ended our day at a French restaurant off the beaten path for a taste of local cuisine... & wine & dessert & more wine It is a good thing he wrote down the correct metro stops for us before we went!
After such a great first day, we decided to book a full-day private tour of the Montmartre area (Sacre Couer, Moulin Rouge, Art/Theatre district, Salvador Dali museum amongst winding cobblestone streets & abundant in bakeries/cafes), followed by a picnic in one of Paris' many beautiful parks. Museums you can wander through on your own, but by booking a formal exploration of the above places, I know I had a higher quality experience that I would have on my own. Instead of focusing on street names and my map/intended route & walking 3x farther than I really need to, I was able to just relax, look & listen Highly Recommend this company & guide! read more